Love's Distances
by DERKER-DERKER
Summary: **SPOILER ALERT FOR RENEGADES** If you have not seen it, this is kind of a spoiler for the brief scene J/C fans were promised. I used the Trek copyrighted names because... well because. So I do not own any characters used blah blah blah... Chakotay is about to embark on a dangerous mission but he's gotta let his wife know first. Only rated T for use of the word "ass". Enjoy!


"Ever the rebel."

Chakotay let out a big grinned chuckle. He half expected his wife to be upset with him in his decision to join the fight against Cabal, but the other half knew how well they understood and complemented each other's souls. A perfect example of yin and yang as the orderly Starfleet officer with an artistic fire intensity and the ever-contrary Maquis with a soft spot for reason, tied together by traits of compassion and thirst for exploration.

"Isn't that why you married me?" He said still grinning.

"It's part of why I fell in love with you, I MARRIED you because there wasn't anything holding me back after we got home. "she explained with a slight caress to her voice, "...that and my sister along with the Doctor would never stop being thorns in my side if I didn't." she added with her characteristic low rasp.

They sat in silence as they reminisced back to the time when they had to keep their love at the line of friendship for the sake of focusing on the greater goal of getting their crew home. Lovely holodeck Get-Aways, debriefing dinners, the occasional light banter. As the course of true love had never run smooth there were some wounds inadvertently inflicted. The occasional blonde, brief holodeck affairs, not to mention moments of polar philosophical differences. There were times Chakotay wished they had never run into species 8472 and the Equinox incident had put their relationship to the ultimate test. Kathryn had been a bit regretful after she had time to cool down and reflect on what she had almost done. She had no regrets regarding her pursuit of Ransom (later she had developed sense of pity for him), however she did feel the upset shame in her stomach, she attributed it to being part of the human experience while Chakotay preferred to leave it in the past as with all other foulness that had happened between them.

"When is departure?" Kathryn broke the reverie.

"The admiral is getting a few arrangements made with the other renegades and I think I have to get some things straight with an ass-head."

"Make sure you give a polite send off to your bartender." She joked.

"Don't worry, I'll see if the glint from my wedding ring will keep her muzzle on."

"Really Chakotay, I cannot blame her for trying. I was lucky to have Starfleet ingrained discipline on my side." Kathryn giggled.

"That 'Starfleet ingrained discipline' was the bane of my existence so many times." Chakotay grumbled.

Kathryn laughed and shook her head, her mind went to Michael Sullivan, the Fair Haven character she used to exercise her sexuality in the chastity of a captain without the luxury of a fleet chain of command to fall back upon for support, it was silly, but it worked.

"Well, you better go be a renegade before they decide to leave without you. I'll let Tuvok know you're joining in case anything happens." She was worried now.

"Don't worry, Kathryn. I'll be fine, 'angry warrior' remember?" He said with a twinkle in his eye.

"Who said anything about worry? I'm merely concerned."

Chakotay's features softened into a loving gaze. He always commended her for her ability to hide her soft side underneath her uniform, he had to do the same at a constant rate when he was in Starfleet. Still, it saddened him whenever she tried to take the burden all on her own, thinking she was alone when he was always right there at her side. Kathryn caught his gaze and decided to take initiative.

"I love you."

Chakotay smiled. "And I love you."

She reached her hand up to the viewscreen as he did the same. A simple gesture that was familiar to the time of New Earth.

Chakotay didn't know who had ended the call first but the next thing her knew he was face-to-face with his busty bartender.

"How's the wifey these days?" She stood in the door-way with a stance that accentuated her plump shapely figure. "If I had a husband like you I'd be sure to never let you out of my sight."

Chakotay gave her a playful glare.

"And that's the difference between you and Kathryn."

-End-


End file.
